


At His Hands

by Adelost



Category: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Genre: Abuse, Anorexia, Childbirth, Deathfics, Execution, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Murder, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-01 11:07:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5203526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adelost/pseuds/Adelost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Several deathfics and several non-deathfics mostly centred around Star, Tom and Marco. Requests + prompts accepted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Black

**Author's Note:**

> I know you've tried all this before  
> And did your best to fight the war, and break it off.  
> Be still my love  
> Would it take a shooting star?  
> To show you life can bloom when something breaks  
> And when the pieces fall I'll catch them all

Several charred bodies were submerged in the river, and he wondered if he would spot the bright blonde hair on the head of his love. When he took one step, his entire body seemed to come to a halt and he felt himself lurch forward uncontrollably. 

Then he took a second step, and cast his eyes down to the river – where he saw a handful of corpses floating, their limbs scattered around and burned to black ash. Piles of ash were spilled onto the floor, and the water was no longer a brilliant blue – but a dark, polluted, poisonous black.

This was his third step – he watched them bob up and down, before his legs collapsed and he felt himself hit the floor. He didn’t care anymore – when he saw the cotton-candy hair of Queen Butterfly, and her husband’s crown floating next to her.

His entire mind crumbled into dust, as his gaze moved next to his mother. With her brown hair and darker body, she lay next to his father. Very little of her was left – he could make out her dark hair, but her eyes were gone.

There were stumps where her legs once were, and a black substance was oozing out of her. Marco’s hand flew to his mouth, and he felt vomit splatter it. When he brought his hand away, his gaze fell upon his father.

Much of him was left – the shirt he wore – though it was ripped at the sleeve – his arms remained intact, along with his legs – but his eyes were permanently closed, and Marco couldn’t bear to think of what he would find if they reopened.

He shook his head, and forced himself to his feet – the fire was still raging behind him, and he was much too busy looking at the last body he could ever have seen. The one he had searched for over the span of three days.

And there she was – floating, nowhere near her family, nowhere near him. This time, it wasn’t vomit that escaped his mouth – but silvery tears dripped down his face. Marco didn’t dare sit down, but instead remembered…

Remembered when he had first laid eyes on her, the playful days of his childhood. The memories were interrupted by the screeching of dragons, and the cackling laughter of Tom, as they worked hand-in-hand to set everything ablaze.

Although he would never admit it, Marco knew why Earth was on fire, yet covered in an eternal winter. He shivered as the wind hit him, wishing he had brought a jacket – though he knew he truly shivered at the sight of the body.

Eventually, he pulled it out, and inspected it. Like his mother, little of her was left – her clothes had been ripped from her body, leaving her naked and vulnerable – Marco sobbed harder at the thought of what Tom could have done to her.

All Star wanted was to be a hero. Even if that meant travelling through all of America – ending up in places that were nice, and some not so nice. Even though she never complained about the not so nice places, Marco knew this was one of them.

Heavy-hearted, he rummaged through the bag that had been hanging off his shoulder for three days, and brought out the gasoline and lighter. He doused the entire body in gasoline, before setting it alight.

Taking four large steps back, he watched as his entire world crackled and burned, at his own hands.

Surely, though, it couldn't be her. There were tons of blonde people here - but only one corpse had that specific shade of blonde. Marco could hear the voice trying to rationalise him, manipulate him into abandoning the river - but he searched anyway. He walked up and down, wading through the deeper sections in the vain hope that there would be more blonde corpses.

There never were. When he reached the site of the completely scorched corpse, he was forced to acknowledge that the one he had burnt to ash was his Star.

As his crying finally stopped, he stared down at what remained of her, giving himself one final thought, before he turned to leave the bodies floating in the river. They were all locked closely together, as if they died whilst embracing. The thought of Star's distance from her parents and the cause of her death caused rage to swell within him.

It wasn’t fair she had to die here. She hated it here.


	2. The Wrong King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why did Star wear long-sleeved garments in the heat of Tom's homeland?  
> And why didn't anyone say anything before it was too late?

_She would trail after him meekly and silently, never daring raise her head unless told to do so. And when he did call her by name, a small voice would escape the girl, earning an uneasy glance from the lords and ladies at the table._

No lady asked why Queen Star wore long sleeves and high-collared garments in the heat of Tom’s homeland.

* * *

 

_Queen Star’s face was twisted into a mask of impolite disinterest – she instead stared at the large gates, as if she wished to leave. As people whirled around her and His Majesty invited her to dance, she was forced to her feet - but not to reach the doors._

No lord asked why Queen Star seemed so disinterested in her wedding feast.

* * *

 

_They had checked over her several times – confirming that although she had failed His Majesty yet again, she was most certainly fertile. Word travelled through the streets that she was drier than a desert, and that she deliberately killed any child she grew fat with._

No Curer ever asked why each miscarriage resulted in more bruises and burn marks.

* * *

 

_All the guards heard the whimpering and sobbing – one dared speak up, after one particular night. “It is our duty to protect her,” he whispered to his fellow guards – and they all turned to look, as if he spoke foolishly. “It is,” one agreed, “but not from him.” He never spoke up again, when he realised how powerless he truly was._

No guards asked why they heard crying after she was bedded by His Majesty.

* * *

 

_When they came to educate her – as Tom spoke of her as dumb, worthless, impossible to teach, they were amazed by her ability to learn spells rapidly. Though they had noticed that she seemed transfixed on one type of spell – yet taught her it, nonetheless._

No tutor asked why Queen Star suddenly grew interested in death-inducing spells.

* * *

 

_Many thought an unholy spirit had entered Her Majesty, and demanded it would be purged – however, the High Priestess disagreed. They had found her leaning over his body and smiling widely. She offered no resistance when they arrested her. The High Priestess thought she was mad._

 

No High Priestess asked why Queen Star snapped, and struck His Majesty dead.

* * *

 

_The sentence no prisoner could ever wish upon themselves was placed upon the Queen herself – and the knights watched in disbelief. They too believed that a spirit had possessed her – and their beliefs were further influenced when she received her sentence. She was laughing uncontrollably._

No knight asked Queen Star why she laughed, when condemned to death.

* * *

 

_Marco was one of the many in the crowd that shouted for the blood of their queen. Star looked at none of them, seemingly glad she had killed Tom. He tried to draw her attention – make eye-contact, but it was futile. Seconds after he glanced at her, he found himself looking at her headless corpse._

Marco never asked Queen Star why she seemed pleased right before the executioner took her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the three guests who left kudos - nice to see my work is appreciated.  
> ~ Adelost


	3. Steam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom & Star in bed. Except Tom is in fact, a sadist and likes scared maidens. And of course, to make it worse I just HAD to add Star's thoughts/feelings in italics... and then write the entire thing in prose. Luckily, this chapter just shows Star in a state of misery.
> 
> "Luckily."  
> Er... sure.  
> Anyway, enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for Rape/Non-Con.  
> Please... don't read past here, if you're sensitive to that stuff.  
> Light references to sex but weird stuff. So... reader discretion advised.

Their chambers are hot, _like the fire that burned her mother’s face and destroyed her home_ yet she can’t help but groan when he bucks underneath her _like the wild unicorns she used to tame, but that’s a memory that’s far behind her now_ his fingers are long and lukewarm, tapping her neck and clasping it. The brief warmth she feels _reminds her of Marco, where could he be now_ and she’s sure she’s lost Tom's interest now _no you haven’t_ , he’s still bucking underneath her, thrusting and _begging for her screams, screeching like the dragons he used to burn her home to the ground_. And the bed is dirty, so dirty _like the starving orphans they pass in the streets_ , then she feels him move under her as he threatens to _draw blood from her one way or another_ and the bed lights up, crackling with orange flames licking her naked body _just the way the fire licked her mother’s face._ Finally, the tears come out, the tears he _begged from her_ _but he wants more pain from her, he keeps begging for her screams_ and then they finally escape, so he pulls her down onto him _and whispers that she’s such a good wife_ before his tongue swipes her face, licking the moisture clinging to her cheeks. Star doesn’t pull away, even when he bites _into her lips the way she would bite into apples_ , even when she _tastes blood_ she forces herself to stay still. He whispers to her that _she is his and nobody else’s._ She nods dumbly and agrees _from this day forth she will be his lady._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAY, 7 kudos! Thank you to those 6 guests and Helloimant!  
> I'm really happy about the reception, as this is my first Ao3 story. Thank you very much to anyone who even bothered to read this (since I have a feeling major character death isn't exactly the average reader's cup of tea).  
> And something tells me neither is seeing Star constantly miserable... so the next chapter will be a little less bleak.
> 
> ~ Adelost


	4. Waltz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When they had brought forth her daughter, a prisoner of war and mortally wounded, she’d screamed in agony. And fell to her knees, clawing her face uncontrollably – attempting to gouge her eyes out, in the hopes she didn’t have to see her daughter’s state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I totally said this chapter wouldn't be "as bleak" and I swear, it's not. It's not particularly happy but I mean it ends on a lot more of a peaceful note...
> 
>  
> 
> ...I think.  
> Honestly, I guess it's up to the reader to decide (so yeah, don't be scared to drop a comment giving feedback - it's only going to make my writing better). :)

_Drip. Plop._ Queen Butterfly watches the blood trickle down the corners of her daughter’s mouth, and cradles her, the way she once did, as a child. Her daughter’s body stretches out, limp and near-dead in her arms.

“Just a little longer. Only a little longer.” She whispers, but her voice shakes and she can feel the tears fighting to appear on her face. _Drip. Plop_. “One more minute… stay awake.” She couldn’t bear the sight of it – when her daughter tried to smile, but gurgled.

The entire body shook in her arms, and the gurgling sound filled her ears like the panic rising within her. Star tried to smile again, but immediately stopped when she realised, much to her anxiety, she was drowning in her own blood.

Her lips parted, and more blood spilled out through them. Queen Butterfly runs a finger through her daughter’s thinning hair, and feels a tear fall – onto Star's face. Her daughter’s pale, dying face – their armies surely, by this point, had broken through Ludo's defence.

“Just a little longer.” She repeated herself desperately, setting Star upright and kicking the corpse of her husband aside. They were waiting in the throne room, for the news of their victory over Ludo and his minions.

They were waiting for the Gods to either take or save her daughter’s life – waiting, to see if the Gods would strike Ludo down in battle, just as he had struck down Star. No news – except for her daughter’s return (bloodied and bruised, but alive) had come since.

When they had brought forth her daughter, a prisoner of war and mortally wounded, she’d screamed in agony. And fell to her knees, clawing her face uncontrollably – attempting to gouge her eyes out, in the hopes she didn’t have to see her daughter’s state.

Naturally, it had not worked.

_Drip. Plop._ More blood, more tears. It didn’t end.

“Please… Star. I lost him… not you, too.” There were no more tears – just a number of sad utterances and confessions upon her lips – but none of which seemed suitable for her daughter. Her offspring – the joy of her life.

“I can’t lose you – I love you.”

“Please, Star…”

Though she knew it was no use – there were purple blotches staining her daughter’s skin, the marks of a fist, nail indents and bites that consumed her flesh. She had suffered so much – and she was slipping out of her grasp with each moment.

As her daughter shook, Queen Butterfly pressed her lips against Star's cheeks. To her horror – she tasted salt – and when she brought her head away, she could smell the salt of tears, mixed with the sickening smoke of burning cities, and the citizens of Mewni.

Carefully, she laid her daughter to rest on the cold floor. And she sat – watching, wordlessly, with all the life drained out of her. There was no way to help her, to save her – she continued to choke on her own blood.

Gurgling still, she twitched on the floor and fixed her glassy eyes onto her mother – who dared not flinch. They watched each other, with curiosity burning in Star’s eyes, and sorrow dimming her mother’s.

In her tears, Star began to sing – though she abruptly stopped and started, coughing and spraying more blood everywhere. The song was the whispering spell – causing her mother to slowly look up and stare, a bitter feeling settling within her.

The force was too strong – soon, she heard the song sliding back into her memory, and the entire palace was transformed. It was what it once was – with her darling babe, her husband, and the entire kingdom together.

They danced.

Or rather, Star continued jerking uncontrollably on the floor, as her mother rose to her feet. With a small smile on her face, Star slowly drifted into an eternal sleep – with her last sight being that of her mother, waltzing to their song.

 


	5. Send/Delete

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of texts, based on Star's terminal (undisclosed) illness.  
> Some characters want to make amends, some want to clear up confusion... but not all of them get everything done before Star finally leaves.  
> Also, not in chronological order (you'll probably notice what I mean when you've finished it. Probably).

**_1\. My heart’s been running low on fuel lately. Could you jumpstart me?_ _(Star - > Tom)_**  
She hates to say it, but she still feels a lingering love for him, a small crush which causes her to compare his eyes to moons and fingers to instruments. There were other people in her life – _better_ people in her life, but she knew that like her heart, her feelings were a complete mess. And maybe… just maybe, if she could live longer, they would be friends. Still, her feelings didn’t make sense though – she longed for him when he was away from her – yet when he approached, she closed up and grew cold. When Star told herself she owed him an apology, the truth – _I love you, but I accept that we’ve grown apart_ – something about that hurt her. Star exhaled deeply, and started to cough up blood – the phone hit the floor with a clatter as Marco rushed into her bedroom at the sound of it, and scooped her from the floor. Before she fell unconscious, Star spotted her phone, and time froze – Marco’s screams for help were drowned out – as the phone’s screen cracked into pieces, along with her heart.

**_2\. You are so much more than human. (Star - > Queen Butterfly).  
_**She loves her mother. She loves her more than anything in the world – more than life itself – and she can’t believe that in these moments, life is slipping away. The thought of abandoning her mother in this world to leave to another brought tears to her eyes. Star touches the scar on her stomach – the result of surgery – and wishes another surgery could keep her alive for another year. Just one more year with everyone she loved… just one more year. The last moments were wordless – she grasped her phone and pressed the send button.

**[Text sent!]**

**_3\. I know I have to forget you, but these memories keep tricking me. (Tom - > Star).  
_**He knew. He knew what was wrong with him and how to change it, but he couldn’t. Each time he tried to prove himself worthy of her, something got in his way – and now he was on the sidelines, watching Star slowly die. There was nothing he could do – _she_ didn’t appreciate him even trying to help her, and _he_ was sick of Tom’s attempts to regain her love. It pained him to think that they could never have a family, children, a life together… because she was departing. Tom fell back in his bed, clasping his phone tightly, curling his fingers around it. And when it finally dawned on him that there was nothing he was allowed to do, he pressed the delete button. The room became silent as the text dissolved into the core of his phone, never to be seen again.

**[Are you sure you want to delete this text?]**

**[ _Yes_ ]         [No]    **

**_4\. Life is a broken record – each time it stops, it starts again. (Star - > Everyone)  
_**Her family and friends were much too exhausted by planning her funeral and keeping her at peace. To the point where they never wondered what she was thinking or if she was a person anymore. Every passing moment was just her withering away. She couldn’t stop it, either, the doctors called it nature and she called it a pain. Why does nature want her to suffer, to watch her family stand by and strip them of all power? Why does nature want to destroy everything she held dear and wipe her from the face of the Earth? Each breath shakes her frail frame, and she keeps telling herself she must leave the world to walk another. When the day finally comes when she leaves the world to join her father’s world, she’s glad, as she burns out and releases a final gasp of air with a smile on her face. The taste of Marco's kisses, cakes, and chocolates are upon her lips all in her final gasp of breath. Yet the phone still lies there as she feels herself being lifted through a clashing kaleidoscope of colours, memories and voices.

They never receive her final message.

**[Are you sure you want to delete this text?]**

**[ _Yes_ ]         [No]**


	6. Fertility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new child enters the world, as Marco watches on, realising he lacks envy that he doesn't father the child.  
> Implied Marco/Star (on a friendly-ish level).  
> Points to whoever guesses who the child's father is - it's hinted at twice who it is. If you find where the hint is... even more points.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References to GoT.  
> Thank you for the kudos! I was only five chapters into this (essentially) endless story, and I've already got twelve kudos. Thanks to everyone who left kudos!  
> Comments, kudos, subscriptions, bookmarks - anything to show you appreciate the story/constructive criticism is appreciated - thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read this.
> 
> ~ Adelost

_Please…_

As she spoke, her voice broke and was drowned out by the wailing of her child. Marco glanced awkwardly, upwards, and then downwards again – firstly at the child, and then his gaze shifted to Star.

Star lay in a bed of blood, and the air was thick with the smell of her impending death. He glanced back at the child – coated in slick blood, yet suddenly silent, with their eyes fixed intensely on his own.

_Please, Marco… take her._

The voice speaking was husky, and as weak as the bawling child. Though, at the sound of the voice, he reached for the child, and finally saw their face – with tufts of blonde hair growing on their head. Their eyes, however, were closed.

A small smile played upon his lips. There was more silence – as he held the child up and inspected it. What would remain of Star, and carry on the line of her family name.

A grin fought to stay on his otherwise blank face – they were absolutely beautiful. He licked his lips, in order to hydrate them – and cleared his throat. Before she passed, there was something he had to say to her. Something he was sure she knew already... but he had to say it, make sure she would know before she was gone.

"Star...? I'm so sorry. I love you..."

He knew at that moment, she had lost all her strength – her eyes had suddenly become dull, her skin was as white as milk and the warmth finally left her. The babe, however, glowed with a radiance that her mother had once had.

It was the most beautiful scene he’d laid his eyes upon – as he held the child, soaked in the blood of their mother, her blanched skin pulled and strained. A puddle of blood stretched between her legs, staining her light blue dress.

As he held the child and compared its likeness to their mother, sadness panged in his chest. The child was clearly not his – it was impossible not to notice, the minute the child opened their eyes, revealing red, tearful and swirling eyes.

Instead of placing the child down, to die alongside their mother, he slowly began to sing. The song Star had loved – one that had reflected her life – as he sang, the lyrics' meaning seemed to warp into something darker, something sadder. Star weakly made eye contact with him, and a bright smile spread across her face - despite the sharp wave of pain rippling through it.

_Thank you, Marco. Please, look after her._

He smiled back at her - even though she was near lifeless by this point - and shifted his gaze to the child, who he continued to rock gently.

With no more words, he tightly held the infant, seeing that Star had finally chipped away, as if she were a piece of acrylic. There was peace in her eyes – she seemed to have died with her last sight of one of her closest friends cradling and vowing to protect her offspring.

When he finished singing their song, determination gripped him – the child would live a happier life then their mother. It didn't matter that the child wasn't his and never could be. Their life, if he could help it, would be like a lullaby – soothing, soft, and happy.

Like their mother's.

Star had lived her life as a song. But it had been a sad one.


	7. Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Star wants to be beautiful, regardless of the costs.  
> Relationships on the sidelines, implied Star/Marco & Oskar/Star.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter deals with anorexia. Reader discretion is advised. If the themes in this chapter offend you, please do not read past this warning.

**_Purging the bad food in a million ways._**

**_Haven’t taken a piss for days._ **

Star wrote the first lines of her poem – then proceeded to gently poke her stomach, feeling a large amount of flab. When she pressed harder, a sharp pain bounced around inside her, burning her insides.

That was her fault. She just had to lose weight. More weight. As much weight as she could. Then she started to write the next two lines, the inspiration hitting her in the form of a wave of nausea. Her large stomach rumbled.

Large, fat stomach. Disgusting stomach rumbled. How much did she weigh now?

* * *

**_Melting into walls, shrinking in size._ **

**_Reading, learning, and becoming wise._ **

One day, she’d lose all the excess weight. Soon, she could walk in the snow, but leave no footprints. Be so light, so perfect that it hurt. That it hurt like her stomach, as she clutched it, reaching for a bottle of water.

She would fill her stomach with water. Perhaps she would grow even thinner with each passing day – or maybe she could disappear altogether. It seemed nobody had noticed her weight loss. She was still overweight. Her next lines expressed her fury.

Large, fat stomach. Disgusting stomach rumbled. How much did she weigh now?

* * *

_**Eating so much cotton** _

_**That my teeth are rotten** _

 Things seemed even worse. Star had dared stand on the scales, and discovered that she had gained weight. The sight made her scream, then silence herself and quietly cry. Her frail body shook and tears hit the ground.

Nobody came to whisper that she was thin, beautifully thin. She stared in the mirror that day, pinching her cheeks, watching the colour rush to them. But they weren’t sunken, her eyes weren’t big enough and her waist wasn’t slim enough.

Large, fat stomach. Disgusting stomach rumbled. How much did she weigh now?

* * *

  ** _Such dignity, is what I lack._**

**_I am lost, because I look back._ **

Her poem, and life, were coming to an end. She finally felt light enough that she could float upwards – finally, she would be the perfect cheerleader. Her body was the right shape, ribs jutting out, slim waist, small hips…

Though fear consumed her. Fear of rejection – that people would be frightened by her beauty. That they would abandon her due to their envy – the thought filled her with a mixture of dread and awe. She would love to be the most beautiful – but felt hopelessness at the amount of work required.

Large, fat stomach. Disgusting stomach rumbled. How much did she weigh now?

* * *

**_The most unknown beauty in the world_ **

**_Yet in sadness, her lip is curled._ **

She was too weak to write now – but instead, was thinking of what else she could add to her life poem before she moved to a higher plane of existence. Perhaps there would be more beautiful people, with large eyes, slim waists…

Not plump, ugly. The figure she had grown out of. It didn’t matter that Marco thought she was a gorgeous thing – all that mattered now was that she was a living, breathing example of self-improvement. An inspiration to girls everywhere.

 _No more_ large fat stomach. _Not_ disgusting stomach rumbled. How much did she weigh now?

* * *

  ** _All they do is try to convince, and lie_**

**_The dirty words upon their lips die._ **

By this point, the world was spinning, playing a wild game of ring-a-rosies. She had long since stopped attending school – but was instead force-fed by ugly, misshapen, overweight nurses who pampered and spoiled her.

She hated it. She hated everything – her body was a temple. The most perfect statue in the world. They were jealous, and they were trying to destroy her. She refused the food, watching her weight and health rapidly decline.

 _I DON’T WANT A_ large, fat stomach. _I DON’T WANT A_ disgusting stomach rumbled. How much did she weigh now?

* * *

  ** _Alas, beauty cannot live an eternal life._**

**_Like others, they cannot fear the knife._ **

**_Death does not discriminate – it consumes all._ **

**_And the beautiful bodies are the first to fall._ **

Her family and friends were at her bedside, but she was somewhere else. It was like sugar, sweet, yet sickly sweet. Memories flickered through her mind rapidly, appearing for split seconds and vanishing.

Marco in his princess dress, Alfonzo’s marriage, the first spell she learned, the wand she had received. Sly kisses, tiny bits of love from both Oskar and Marco. Marco pulled her frail frame into his safe arms. All was forgiven. Brittney was forgiven, Chantelle, Sabrina…

All was forgiven, and she felt so light. She remembered Marco’s words, and smiled sleepily.

_It’s alright to let go now._

So she does.

It’s so beautiful it hurts.

**Author's Note:**

> Never mind what you're looking for  
> You'll always find what you're looking for  
> Sometimes it's blinding in the race  
> But I'll be here smiling when I see your face
> 
> A/N: Requests will be accepted - I'm not sure yet if this is going to be a series of deathfics or not, but leaving prompts (ships, etc.) would be appreciated. Perhaps some of these won't be deathfics.  
> ~ Adelost


End file.
